Rashad Evans: ‘I don’t have time to worry about Rampage’

Lost in the shuffle of Quinton Jackson’s recent announcement regarding his return to the UFC has been newfound nemesis Rashad Evans’ opinion on the situation. While “Rampage” made it clear his motivation in coming back to the Octagon after a brief retirement related in part to his desire to “shut Rashad’s mouth up”, his TUF 10 coaching rival took a less aggressive route when responding to the issue via his Twitter page.

A lot of people ask me everyday how I feel about Rampage (returning to) the UFC and I never answer. But I don’t answer because I have another opponent and Rampage is not on my mind! I fight Thiago Silva January 2nd and I have my hands full enough with him, so I don’t have time to worry about Rampage. When and if the fight happens it’s gonna be a great fight! But until we sign the fight contract I’m not gonna think about him or the fight!

As alluded to in the comment, “Sugar” ‘Shad is currently set to face American Top Team’s Silva at UFC 108 in Las Vegas. The well-rounded Brazilian knocked out Evans’ teammate and close friend Keith Jardine in his last bout this past August at UFC 102. Both men are considered top contenders at 205-pounds and have singular defeats in their careers, coincidentally enough against the same individual – current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida.

Thiago is going to be a great gatekeeper at 205, and this fight will prove that. He has good strikes and a good ground game, and a so so chin. Rashad has great speed and power in his hands, and good power in his kicks, more than enough wrestling to choose where this fight takes place. I just dont see how Silva can win this.

well fan its bet time again
I have Silva in this one.
not only cause i cant stand that phony evans but his show bouting will be his demise like it was his last fight.
I see him getting cliped again in the 2nd.
wich will suck for as all cause then his fight with Rampage will lose a little of its hype. just a little

Lyoto proved that Rashad can be ko’d, and Lyoto also proved that Silva’s aggressive style could make him vulnerable to an elusive counterpuncher. The question is whether Rashad can be as elusive as Lyoto, or elusive enough. Certainly Rashad has ko power, and he’s an effective counter puncher. Ask Liddell. I don’t see Silva changing his style, but I guess that’s possible. I’m leaning toward Rashad on this one by tko or ko by the 2nd round.

As for a loss by Evans, it will hurt a Rampage fight a little but the ufc will have it anyway. Remember how Wanderlei was going to fight Liddell if he got by Evans, and Evans koed Chuck only to have the ufc sign the fight anyways. I know the Evans Rampage fight isnt exactly Liddell Silve but the ufc will not throw away this fight for any reason.

fanoftna33: Alright Moose its a bet but I see you going 0-2 by Jan 3rd.
As for a loss by Evans, it will hurt a Rampage fight a little but the ufc will have it anyway. Remember how Wanderlei was going to fight Liddell if he got by Evans, and Evans koed Chuck only to have the ufc sign the fight anyways. I know the Evans Rampage fight isnt exactly Liddell Silve but the ufc will not throw away this fight for any reason.

I’d actually be more interested in seeing him get another crack at Machida … I realize that both of them have other fights on their immediate horizon, but I think Rashad might do better now that a viable strategy for challenging Lyoto has been established (ie. chop at his legs for a few rounds, and don’t even try to engage until he’s lost that extra spring in his step that makes him impossible to hit).

I’ve heard nobody mention such a scenario, but surely I can’t be the only one considering it …

I was a Rashad hater before TUF 10 but, he really grew on me. Not only was he pretty humble and a great coach but, he was bad ass when he needed to be….Like when he totally PUNKED Rampage at the end of the season by brushing up against him. The only thing Rampage could say was “i just saved your life”….Sure Rampage….all talk and corny 80’s jokes to go with his stupid 80’s movie….

Rampage doesn’t have his head in the game….He already quit once and he is just waiting to quit again. Rashad is coming to throw bombs and one of them is going to land on Rampages big mouth….

Nick Havok: That is crazy to say that Rashad will walk through Thiago Silva

No doubt. Thiago Silva has one loss to Machida, the same Machida who made Evans look amateurish. If Evans utilizes his wrestling like he should, he should roll, but if he tries to be fancy and stand and trade, he could easily be going lights out for the second time in a row.

hey fan did i already loose one????? refreash my memory wich fight??
either way evans takes a nap in this one.
but i do love his response. Silva is whats next. worry about that first.
Hey Mir do hear that???

I see Rashad dominating this fight. Silva’s chin will be found by Rashad’s right hand. Silva has good striking don’t get me wrong but, Evans is slicker in the standup. His superior wrestling will keep it standing until he finds that chin on a silver platter

fanoftna33: Thiago is going to be a great gatekeeper at 205, and this fight will prove that. He has good strikes and a good ground game, and a so so chin. Rashad has great speed and power in his hands, and good power in his kicks, more than enough wrestling to choose where this fight takes place. I just dont see how Silva can win this.

Man, I can’t believe more people don’t see it like that. I don’t think Rashad is really that amazing, but I think he’s a whole lot better than Thiago, who has never impressed me really all that much. I knew Rashad would be beaten sooner or later. He loses way too many rounds to stay unbeaten. But I still think he has many more tools at his disposal than Thiago, and Thiago’s style plays perfect into Rashad’s.

And although I don’t agree with the nipple twist, it’s become a sort of ritual at Greg Jackson’s camp. It seems corny, lame, and downright weird, but to each his own. Just like Diego does his YES! walk down the aisle before the fight (and possibly the YES! Cartwheel of Glory tomorrow) It’s just one of the many superstitions in the sport. If you don’t crank your nips, you’ll get your ass beat.

Just like how you can’t call a shutout in hockey (this one’s Canadian) If your team is winning with a shutout, it’s an absolute sacrilege to say you’ll get a shutout, because it means the other team WILL score. Strange, I know.

While I personally am not a fan of Rashad, I don’t think this fight will be a cake walk for either but in the end if given the choice of betting on a Greg Jackson coached fighter or someone else, I’ll take the Greg Jackson coached fighter almost all the time. He seems to do a great job at getting all of his guys calm and ready to go.

As for if he loses, I don’t think it really matters in regards to the Rampage fight. I don’t think most fans will care what either have done in the octagon, fans just want to see them throw down. I think sometimes the UFC puts off matches that they want to make due to a fighter losing and then the stars just never seem to align again or if they do it’s like 5 years later when fighters are at the end of their careers. If you think a fight is marketable and you have two guys that hate one another and want to bang, just make the fight. If the fighters want it and the fans want it, who cares what each fighter did in their last bout.

All I can say is I hope Rashad gets the shit kicked out of him. Surely you lot can see past the falseness of this tool. His attitude reminds me of Matt Hughes, you know the school bully who is only nice to his mates and preys on the weak. At least Rampage is actually a decent guy underneath it all. Or have we all forgotten Rashad’s complete lack of respect when he jumped in the cage and got in Rampage’s face when he’d just finished a fight.

elkymbo: All I can say is I hope Rashad gets the shit kicked out of him. Surely you lot can see past the falseness of this tool. His attitude reminds me of Matt Hughes, you know the school bully who is only nice to his mates and preys on the weak. At least Rampage is actually a decent guy underneath it all. Or have we all forgotten Rashad’s complete lack of respect when he jumped in the cage and got in Rampage’s face when he’d just finished a fight.Let’s face it, in reality, Rashad is a –

The way I see it you’ve got the names mixed up in your post.

And the jumping into Tampage’s face was an obvious setup to hype things up, but thin-skinned Rampage obviously can only dish it out.

To be completely honest I think it’s just an Australian thing to like the shit stirrer a.k.a Rampage over the jock – Rashad. I just don’t find him genuine at all. I think that underneath it all he didn’t really care about his fighters as much as he was trying to make himself look good int front of the cameras.